The History of New York-Style Cheesecake

All cheesecake has its roots in ancient Greek cuisine, which gave us an early version of the cheesecake; in fact, the dish was served to Olympic athletes during the first Olympic games in 776 B.C.! However, it was German immigrants who brought cheesecake to the United States. Their version of the dessert was made with cottage cheese and featured a pastry-style crust. Around the same time, New York dairy manufacturer William Lawrence was creating his now-famous Philadelphia cream cheese (the product actually hails from New York, not Philadelphia). In the 1930s, German-style cheesecake and cream cheese converged in Jewish bakeries and delis in New York City. Deli owner Arnold Reuben is widely credited with creating New York-style cheesecake. He did so by substituting cream cheese in place of the traditional cottage cheese used in German-style cheesecake. His competitor, Leo Lindemann, also helped popularize what soon became known as New York-style cheesecake; he even hired away Reuben's pastry chef to re-create the dessert at his own establishment, Lindy's. Other deli owners likely made the same substitution, creating their own New York-style cheesecakes. In addition to the use of cream cheese, New York-style cheesecake is also distinguished by its use of eggs, lemon, vanilla, and a graham cracker crust. It is also typically baked in a hot water bath and allowed to age a few days before being served. The result of all this? A dense, smooth cheesecake that remains wildly popular today both in its native New York City and in many other parts of the world.